The Friday Cut: Rory speaks out, Charley Hull charge, Sepp Straka 59 and Cam Smith form
Cameron Smith of Australia and Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland shake hands on the 18th green during the first round of the TOUR Championship at East Lake Golf Club on August 25, 2022 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Welcome to ‘The Friday Cut’, your weekly round-up of the top stories across the professional tours.
With less than a week until the Open Championship gets underway, the best players in the men's professional game have descended on British soil, in order to get prepared for what will surely be a tough test at Hoylake. With plenty going on in the build up, here are the headlines that have made the cut.
McIlroy speaks out on proposed LIV participation
The on-going saga surrounding the PGA Tour’s ‘merger’ with the PIF appears to have become a permanent fixture on the Friday Cut, but how can I not comment when they keep producing absolute gold. It writes itself.
In the latest developments, a released document by the Senate Subcommittee outlined discussions by members of the two parties, suggesting that Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods could own a LIV Golf team and play at least 10 LIV Golf events per year. The document, titled ‘Best of both worlds’, also outlined the possibility of two PIF sponsored elevated PGA Tour events - one of which to be held in Saudi Arabia.
There was no suggestion in the document that either Woods or McIlroy had any knowledge or involvement in this discussion, and that was all but confirmed following McIlroy’s opening round at the Genesis Scottish Open. In true Rory-style, The former World Number One did not hold back on his feelings towards this news, proclaiming “If LIV Golf was the last place to play golf on earth, I would retire.”
Back to the drawing board then. Tune in next week for the latest chapter
Charley Hull makes late charge at US Women’s Open
It was another scintillating women’s major championship last week, and one of the main talking points this side of the pond was the late surge from home favourite Charley Hull. A final-round 66 saw Hull fall just short of eventual winner Allisen Corpuz, claiming a second runner-up finish of the season. After winning on the LPGA Tour back in September last year, Hull has had a turbulent season, with three missed cuts and just one other top-10 finish.
Her performance at Pebble Beach highlighted the class that she has when playing her best golf, and as one of the top English players in the Women’s professional game, it surely can’t be long before she goes one better and takes a maiden major championship title. The AIG Women’s Open at Walton Heath in August looks to be a great opportunity to do just that, so don’t be surprised to see her flying the flag once again.
Sepp Straka falls just short of record 59 on PGA Tour
Every once in a while the golf twitter-sphere goes into meltdown because a player could be about to do the unthinkable… play a round of golf in less than 60 shots. This week it was Sepp Straka’s, with ‘59-watch’ drawing fans to the final round of the John Deere Classic. The Austrian was four shots off the lead entering Sunday, but played the front nine in just 28 shots to put himself right in contention. Four birdies early in the back-nine had Straka on 11-under for his round, needing just two birdies in his last four holes to equal Jim Furyk’s PGA Tour record low round of 58.
Despite two pars, and missed birdie putt on the par-5 17th, Straka still had a chance to shoot a rare round of 59 with a birdie on the last. In true golf-fashion, Straka’s hopes were quickly dashed as he dumped his approach shot into the water before closing with a disappointing double-bogey, thus extending our wait for another elusive 59.
I suppose the consolation of a second PGA Tour victory will provide some comfort for Straka.
Cam Smith takes title in London
A strong field at the Centurion Club last week treated the crowds to some excellent golf at LIV London. Defending Open Champion Cam Smith continued his preparations for Hoylake, taking the title by one shot from compatriot Marc Leishman. Some big names graced the top of the leaderboard as they aimed to hunt down the Australian pair, with Dustin Johnson and Patrick Reed also making the top-5.
After three consecutive rounds in the 60s for Cam Smith, sending him into the Open Championship in seemingly strong form, I think we can expect a strong defence from the man who thwarted Rory McIlroy and Viktor Hovland at St. Andrews last year.
Coming up this weekend…
With final preparations underway for the Open Championship at Hoylake, the world’s elite head to the Renaissance Club for the Genesis Scottish Open. The opportunity to play some tough links golf will be a great warm-up for those hoping to lift the Claret Jug next weekend, and with the likes of Rory McIlrory and Scottie Scheffler in the field in Scotland - it will surely also wet the appetite of expectant fans before Open Championship week.
The LPGA Tour heads to Highland Meadows Golf Club for the Greater Toledo LPGA Classic, with US Women’s Open Champion Allisen Corpuz teeing it up in a strong field alongside the likes of Rose Zhang and Minjee Lee.
